Carl W. Erickson, family patriarch, mentor and hero, passed away peacefully at home in the arms of his family on August 16, 2012.

Carl was born May 7, 1924 in Cleveland, Utah, to Kate Elizabeth Gardner and Erick R. Erickson. He served in the U.S. Army in WWII, at which time a very special pen pal turned into the love of his life. He married Barbara Lee Stevenson “Bob” on Dec. 7, 1946 and they spent 66 years together.

A very intelligent, self-educated master wood craftsman and electrician, Carl loved working out in his shop creating beautiful mantle and grandfather clocks, jewelry boxes and cradles, and many other items for his children and grandchildren. He loved gardening and camping, but his most treasured accomplishment was building a mountain cabin with his son.

He spent his early years as a coal miner in Columbia, Utah, and moved his family to Moab in the early 1960s, where he worked as an electrician at the Green River Missile Base. He moved back to Columbia to retire in the mid 70s and then returned to Moab in the early 1980s to enjoy his retirement years.

He is survived by four of his 15 brothers and sisters; his wife, Barbara; his son, Ross Erickson (Pam); his daughters, Paula Cox, Carla Garlett (Chuck) and Brenda Haycock, all of Moab. He is also survived by nine grandchildren who were all very dear to him, Melissa Abshear, Venessa Pickering, Jessica Duran, Jerimy West, Jared West, Timothy Hopkins, Camille Hopkins, Lindsay Graham and Tyler Firm; 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the Cleveland LDS Chapel. Interment was in the Cleveland Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (www.pdf.org).

Arrangements were entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price. Friends may share memories of Carl at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.

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